It looks like Florida voters will decide next year if they want a ban on gay marriages written into the state constitution. The group pushing the amendment, Florida4Marriage, says it only needs 13,000 more signatures to put the issue before voters in November 2008. But as Chris Casquejo tells us, opponents worry that domestic partner benefits could face legal challenges.

A group called Florida4Marriage is closing in on its goal to gather more than 611,000 signatures. It needs just 13,000 more signatures to ask voters to ban gay marriages.
Early Dawson and his new bride Janet support the petition drive.

“A man shouldn’t marry another man and a woman shouldn’t marry another woman, because it wasn’t meant for that,” Dawson said.

In 2004, 11 states adopted constitutional bans on same sex marriages. Gay marriage is already illegal in Florida because of the federal Defense of Marriage Act. A constitutional change prevents judges from overturning the law to allow gay marriages.

A coalition of 25 groups is fighting the amendment. They say men and women who aren’t married could lose partner benefits. Peter Rosen, who’s been with his partner for 14 years, is raising money for the effort.

“This is just mean-spirited,” Rosen said. “We can’t afford to lose this fight.”

60 percent of voters would have to approve the amendment for it to become law.